


Holding On

by ultomorrow



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Coming of Age, Growing Up, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Love, M/M, Missing, Sad, tw://It was not a suicide attempt, tw://almost death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:35:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24102196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ultomorrow/pseuds/ultomorrow
Summary: Donghyuck wants to be remembered, he doesn't want to grow up,  Jeno seems to have the rest of his life planned out, Donghyuck tries to remind Jeno of what matters.
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Lee Jeno
Kudos: 9





	Holding On

**Author's Note:**

> Hi !! I thought a bit too much about how to write this because part of me wanted it to be sad but I wanted to be happy so I made it happy :) A lot of the events in this are things I did with friends as a child and thought it was cute. I will add a disclaimer that Is time in the story that has to do with near-death, just a warning.  
> As always Ignore any spelling or grammar errors and enjoy !!

Donghyuck didn’t hate life, nor did he hate living. What he hated was the fact that we lived everyday life never knowing what’s to come, or we had to go through every day not knowing if it was our last or not, that bothered donghyuck. Donghyuck lived every day, not to the fullest but he lived every day to the best of his ability. His best friend Jeno was opposite, Jeno always thought about the future, he was always planning and talking, he wanted to get a good job and make money, he wanted to meet his soulmate, he wanted a family, Jeno had all these big dreams and ambitions, Jeno didn’t care if every day could be his last, Jeno just lived.

“It doesn’t bother you at all?” Donghyuck asked as Jeno popped them popcorn for their weekly movie night.  
Jeno looked puzzled “what?”  
“Yah know the way we live as humans?”  
“What do you mean?”  
“Think about it Jen, we live every day saying see you tomorrow, talk to you tomorrow, ya know things like that, but we never actually know if we will, like dude we plan for the future knowing how uncertain it is but people still do it, does that ever bother you”  
“Uhh no”  
“No?! Why?”  
“Because hyuck I’m a normal person, humans are conditioned to plan ahead hyuck, we all thrive and have wanted and have ambitions, that's why no one ever thinks too much about it, I don’t live through everyday thinking it’s going to be my last.”  
Hyuck shook his head and looked down at his feet, Jeno turned back to the microwave to get the popcorn out of the microwave.  
“Jeno”  
“Yes?”  
“Are you ever worried about being remembered?”  
Jeno put the hot bag on the counter and turned to stare at Hyuck sitting on the island countertop  
“Yes, I do, but not too much. I want to be remembered for years and years, rather it's because I did something amazing or simply because one day my great great great grandkids carry on my stories, but I’m not too worried about being remembered. You?”  
“I’m absolutely terrified of not being remembered”  
Hyuck jumped down from the counter and walked over to where Jeno was standing.  
“I’m tired of talking, let’s go watch our movies so I can fall asleep and force you to carry me upstairs,” Hyuck said, grabbing the bowl and the bag of popcorn and walking away, leaving Jeno staring at his back. Jeno walked into the living room  
“If you fall asleep I will leave you down here alone with the demon who open the refrigerator door at night”  
“You would never, you would feel too bad”  
Jeno cursed hyuck out under his breath.  
The boys had lists and lists of movies they wanted to watch, tonight’s movies were Beauty and the Beast and Coco, they barely made it through Beauty and the Beast, and then Hyuck had to comfort a crying Jeno at the end of Coco.  
After they cleaned up their mess the boys made their way upstairs to get ready for bed.  
Hyuck had a special way of sleeping at Jeno’s house, Jeno made the best palettes on the ground until hyuck decided that it was colder on the ground than it was on Jeno’s bed and Jeno would tell him to get more blankets so Hyuck you huff loudly down the hall to the closet to get blankets, huff loudly walking back into the room, huff even louder as he laid the blankets out, huffed even louder as he got under the blankets and then kept huffing until Jeno gave in and told him to come into the bed.  
“Stay on your side tonight, this is a big bed you have enough room,” Jeno said turning to face away from Hyuck who had a very smirk expression that could be seen even in the dark.  
The two usually talked until one fell asleep, donghyuck thought about going back to the conversation from earlier and instead he settled on  
“Jeno, what do you look for in a soulmate”  
Jeno turned around and looked at donghyuck, he could see huyck's eyes fixed on him, even in the dark, you could see donghyuck’s eyes  
“I don’t really know, I have never thought about it before really”  
“But you say you want to meet them”  
“That doesn’t mean I know what I’m looking for”  
Hyuck sulked on the way Jeno’s voice rose  
Jeno started talking again but with a calmer tone, “you?”  
“Oh me? I don’t think i believe”  
“You are unbelievable”  
“Well think of it this way, how do I know if they are still alive or not? What if my soulmate died at birth or was aborted”  
Jeno sat up and stared down at donghyuck  
“Aborted?”  
“Yes”  
“You are a dork” jeno said hitting him then laying back down  
“Hyuck one day you will meet someone and be like, that is who I am meant to be with and when that happens i will remind you this this very conversation”

~  
The next morning jeno woke up to Hyuck’s arms wrapped around him, it wasn’t strange, Hyuck was a sleep cuddler, jeno had grown to accept it. Jeno moved hyuck slowly careful not to wake him up. Jeno thought hyuck looked cute when he slept, mainly because he slept with his mouth slightly open, and his cheeks looked so cute, hyuck was pretty, and jeno had always felt that way, he had always pushed any other thought far far to the back of his mind, always scared to cross an unspoken rule between them. Jeno looked over at Hyuck and smiled as he recovered hyuck in blankets before getting up and going downstairs where his mother was making breakfast.  
“Good morning love” Jeno’s mother said turning around with a cup of coffee in her hand  
“Morning mom”  
“Where is hyuckie” Jeno’s mom had called donghyuck, hyukkie ever since the two were little.  
“He’s still asleep”  
“Ahh, i suppose you are coming down here to get you two food like you do every time”  
Jeno smiled “oh mom you know me so well”  
“I made biscuits and gravy today, and there is orange juice”  
Jeno made the two plates and poured two glasses of coffee and two glasses of orange juice and kissed his mom on the cheek and slowly made his way up the stairs with the breakfast. When he opened the door, donghyuck was still asleep, jeno set the tray on his desk and walked over to the bed, carefully shaking hyuck away  
‘Damn jeno, you wake up too early, please just lay down”  
“No, I have breakfast”  
Hyuck turned and looked up at jeno, you could still see he was gathering his senses and still not very awake  
“What is it?”  
“Hmm guess”  
“No”  
“Then i guess you’ll just have to eat”  
Jeno walked over with breakfast and hyuck sat up to help him  
“One day jeno, I will wake up early as hell to make you breakfast”  
“Haha no you won’t”  
“Jen please, it's the thought that counts”  
Jeno just shook his head and laughed.  
“So jeno, what do we have planned today”  
“Uh, nothing really, i don’t plan like that”  
“Hmmm”  
“What would you like to do sir”  
Donghyuck took a sip of his coffee, jeno knew the perfect ratio of creamer and sugar to coffee and it was always the perfect temp.  
“Let's go on an adventure”  
“To where”  
“Dufus that the point let's just go, like in a really cheesy movie where they just get up one day and go and you honestly have no clue who does that but like they do and it looks fun as hell, yeah that right there lets go. “  
Jeno stared at hyuck holding his orange juice like a child.  
“I mean, i guess we can”  
“Perfect” hyuck said jumping up and going through Jeno’s closet  
“What are you doing” jeno asked  
“Picking out an outfit’  
“Did you not bring clothes”  
Donghyuck laughed “you know i didn’t” It was true, hyuck never actually brought clothes it never made sense. 

Hyuck found something and went to the bathroom to get ready, Jeno ran his fingers through his hair, knowing that this day was about to be full of surprises. Jeno picked out clothes and changed as he waited for Donghyuck to get out so he could wash his face and brush his teeth and whatever else hyuck does in the bathroom, he always takes forever. Jeno cleaned up the plates and cups and made his bed. Hyuck may have never bought clothes but he always had a blanket. Jeno carefully folded the blanket and placed it back on hyucks side of the bed, because he knew that Hyuck would be back tonight. Hyuck walked into the room and he had on one of jeno’s favorite sweaters, it was a light blue, jeno looked at hyuck and he must have been showing too much facial expressions because hyuck shot a  
“Jeno you good?”  
“Yeah, you should wear blue more often, it looks really good with your skin tone”  
Hyuck laughed “loser, go get ready so we can go’  
~  
“Where to first Mr. Coming of age movie” Jeno said as they walked down the street  
“The park”  
“The park?’  
“Yep, we are going to act like kids for a little bit, like old times”  
‘O-okay, why couldn’t I have drove though, its kinda cold”  
“Jeno, kids can’t drive”  
“You have a whole ass day planned don’t you”  
Hyuck looked at jeno and simply flashed a smile  
~

When they got to the park they stood and looked  
“We met at this park” jeno said  
“Yeah we were glad you remember, my plan today mr. jeno is I want you to not think about the future so much today, last night’s conversation gave me the idea that we need to remember where we both came from and try to live like we used to, not think about college, or the future.” hyuck said smiling at jeno  
Jeno laughed “okay mr. hyuck, let's do this”  
Hyuck smiled and tapped jeno saying “tag” and ran off, Jeno took off after hyuck they two ran around tagging and laughing, they got weird stares from families walking but they didn’t care, they ran and ran and ran around until they both got tired and decided to call a truce and go swing.  
“Jeno, why did we just play tag at the park we met at?”  
“Because the day we met, you had just moved to the neighborhood and you being the little shithead you were walked up to me and said tag and then just ran, when i didn’t chase you walked back to be and said “look, im donghyuck, call me hyuck, you and I are friends now and you and I are going to play tag” and then we became best friends” Jeno said laughing as he reminded.  
“Correct, wow you remember all that”  
“Of course, it was one of the most memorable days ever, ever since that day you and I have been connected, then jaemin came, then Renjun, the Mark, our group we all met at this very park”  
Hyuck smiled at the group before getting up and reaching out to Jeno  
“Come one, next stop is my house for a quick second we have to grab something”

Chuck's house wasn’t far at all less than 2 minutes from the park, when they got there, hyuck opened the garage and came out with two bikes  
“Holy shit” jeno said  
“We haven't rode these since like middle school”  
“I already put air in the tires so we can go this is our transportation today sir”  
Jeno got on the bike and started to remember all the hours they spent riding these bikes.  
Hyuck lead the way to the next destination, and before they got far jeno started smiling  
“Hyuck looked back at Jeno and smiled “what?”  
“Are we going to the hill?”  
‘You already know it”  
They rode a little further before they reached the top.  
“Count of three” hyuck said looking at Jeno  
Jeno shook his head bracing for the ride down  
“1….2…...3” Hyuck counted and then they were off racing down the hill next to each other laughing, in that moment Jeno and Hyuck were 10 again, the sun shined on their tanned skin hyuck was always tanner than jeno, they were filled with no worries, it was jeno and hyuck always just jeno and hyuck. The wind was still filled with a slightly chilly air, but the temps were warm, jeno felt infinite, like that scene in the Perks of being a Wallflower, where they are riding through the tunnel, all they needed was a nice soundtrack. Jeno snapped back to reality when he started to slow down, he pressed the handle breaks and stooped at the bottom with a giggly donghyuck right behind him. When they both stopped they looked at each other and laughed. Hyuck had once mentioned that he always wanted to live like he was in a movie, because they never had to think about anything at all.  
“Hyuck”  
“Yes”  
“This feels like the movie you have always wanted to live in”  
Hyuck smiled at Jeno, a smile that was pure and genuine and made Jeno’s heart race slightly.  
They continued down the path at the end of the hill that led to a cute bike trail. They spent whole days in the summer riding this trail going anywhere it would take them, they always ended up riding past the weird swampy area with cute benches overlooking the lake, stopping to drink water, they would ride and ride until they couldn’t paddle anymore, and that exactly what they did this time, except hyuck had a plan, they would stop at this place that served hot dogs and milkshakes, and that's exactly where they went today.  
“I haven't been here in years”  
“Neither have I, so we are going to eat here, on me”  
Jeno put his hand over his heart “Lee Donghyuck paying for me Lee Jeno”  
“Stop before I change my mind”  
Jeno laughed as they put their bikes in the rack and went inside, the moment they walked in the lady at the counter ran to greet them at the door  
“Jeno and Donghyuck” they lady said when she looked at them  
“Hi” both boys said in unison  
“I haven’t seen you two in years, how are you guys” The woman looked outside and saw the bikes “i see you rode bikes”  
“See, I am making Jeno relive our childhood”  
“Ahh I see, let me give you two this advice, of you two leave each others side the world might just fall apart, you two are soulmates, rather it be platonic or not, whatever you two do in life, never leave each other’s sides”  
Jeno looked at he ground trying to hid his slight blush, and donghyuck smiled and said “no matter what, I don’t think i could leave this loser’s side”  
They women laughed and gave them a seat, “let me guess, two hot dogs both with everything but onions, and mustard and one strawberry shake and one chocolate with two waters”  
“Yes ma’am”  
The lady walked away to place the order  
“So why are we here” donghyuck asked jeno resting hi chin in his hand to look at jeno  
“We spent whole summers on this trail, we always came here because he had already missed dinner, we always had to combine our money but we always made it work, even if we had to share”  
“You know jeno, you have a great memory”  
“i remember literally everything we used to do hyuck”  
“Is that so?”  
“Yes”  
“Then damn we must really be soulmates” donghyuck said and she leaned back looking at jeno  
Jeno laughed “I told you, you had a type of soulmate”  
“Hmm i had already known, that a discussion for later though”  
Jeno looked at Hyuck confused.  
Before he could say another word their food was on its way.  
They two ate and talked about everything, they drank their shakes and it felt like the good days again. When they finished and went to pay, the lady at the counter refused to let them, saying it's all okay  
“Just promise me that you’ll be back in a few years”  
“Promise made” Jeno said 

The two continued to ride, until the sun started to set and hyuck stopped and pulled jeno off his bike and to a path that lead to a field filled with flowers, there were no trees just flowers, hyuck kept pulling Jeno to a landing there you could see the lake, the air was clean here, and the view was beautiful, you could see the entire horizon from where the were standing. Jeno had been caught up in the view that he hadn’t noticed that his hand was still holding Huyck's, Hyuck seemed to notice at the same time cause they both looked down but both silently chose not to let go.  
“Hyuck this place is beautiful”  
“Yes, I spend days looking for it, because we have a lot of memories together as kids and that's nice and all but as we grew up, we lost track of the little things, as cheesy as it sounds. I wanted to make new memories, and this place right here can be the first place”  
“Why here?”  
“Because, once upon a time a very young jeno said and i quote “Hyukkie you remind me of flowers and sunshine and I told you, you remind me of the stars and the lake, because that was your favorite place, i found a place where both of those things are together.”  
Jeno felt his heart well, he remembers that conversation vividly.  
“I remember that, that was the same night you told me i was like a puppy, and you held my hand just like this”  
Hyuck shook his head and started to sit down pulling jeno down with him. They stood there quietly for a few moments until hyuck spoke  
“Jeno listen, i think you are my soulmate, i have always thought you were, form that day you put a bandaid on my elbow when i literally fell over my scooter, and everytime you wake me up and feed me, and you are never judging and it sounds cheesy so damn cheesy but that conversation we last night, You fit what i look for in a soulmate, you have always been my soulmate.”  
Jeno took hyucks hand and brung it his lips and then rubbing small circles in his thumb, for hyuck that was enough. 

~  
The sun had set and it was dark, but they two stayed together, close like always.  
“Jeno what comes next”  
“What do you mean”  
“Like what comes after all of this after high school, you are going to college and i mean so am I but we won’t be a short walk away anymore, and everyone else, they will be going away too, we are literally splitting and as much as I don’t want to think about it, its inevitable.  
“I don’t know, we have to forget high school eventually and move on, growing up sucks hyukkie, I hate it so much, soon all these memories all these things we used to do will be nothing”  
“Promise me you will never forget what we’ve done together”  
“Hyuck why would I ever”  
“You never know how life will hit”  
Hyuck stood up and walked to the overlook  
“Jeno let's start walking back down”  
“Hyuck is everything okay?” Jeno walked behind hyuck and wrapped him in a hug  
“Everything is fine”  
Hyuck turned around and smiled up at jeno kissing his nose before taking his hand and leading him back the way they came.  
“You know jeno, I am so crazy about the future because i'm so scared to face it”  
“The future is so scary, everything could change tomorrow and we have no control over it”  
“Jeno, Im scared that once we are done here, we will leave and everyone here will forget us, or me”  
“Hyuck why? Is it really that important? If you are remembered?”  
“To me yes, I have lived my whole life feeling like if i don’t make a name for myself, then i will be nothing”  
“Hyuck life isn’t what you were in high school, you have your whole life to make a name for yourself, i don’t understand what you deal is with being remembered”

Hyuck turned around and looked at Jeno who stood there knowing what he had done, he was already defeated and wish the words had never left his lips  
‘“What did you just say” Donghyuck’s voice was stern and angry  
Jeno gulped “I said, what is your deal with being remembered”  
“How about this-” donghyuck began already stomping to jeno but not in a cute funny way  
When he got to Jeno he stopped and looked him directly in the eye  
“How about this Jeno, You have your whole life planned out, you know what you want and I am lost, I have no fucking clue what the hell i’m going to do next, Jeno we graduate in a few months and you seem so ready for the next step, but nothing beats the feeling of being completly alone, I have you, but Jeno you are so far away I don’t know where the hell you are, You have a family that loves you endlessly and pays attention to you, and you are liked by everyone Jeno, everyone fucking loves you Jeno, and you are too humble to even notice that when you leave this hell hole in August everyone will think about you and talk about you.”  
Hyuck took a deep breath, Jeno didn’t say a word, neither did hyuck. Hyuck started talking again with a calmer tone, but still full of anger.  
“Jeno if I were to go missing, or die right now, who will remember me? Who will carry on my name and tell stories about me, who will love me even after I'm gone? Tell me what will happen if I am no longer here around you or Jeamin, or Renjun, or Mark? You will all go back to living your lives like normal, it will be like I was never there, I will be a withering body that people walk over. Jeno, you want to make a name for yourself and so do I, but I will never be as memorable as you, I will never have people remember me like they do you, like they do anyone...after all these years of work jeno, what have I done right?”  
Huyck's eyes filled with tears and he turned away from Jeno, not wanting him to see his sobbing. There was silence before hyuck gave up on his point  
“Good night, Jeno” hyck said as he started walking away  
Jeno watched as Donghyuck walked up the hill out of his sight, jeno wanted to say something but his mouth couldn’t form the words, instead he watched hyuck disappear, Jeno will never forgive himself for that night. 

~  
Jeno woke up to his mother shaking him awake.  
“Mom?”  
“Jeno-” Jeno’s mom stopped and gave jeno a sad look  
“Mom what's going on’  
“Donghyuck is missing, his parents called and said he’s been missing for a while, he didnt come home last night and thought he was here, they are going out to look for him , Jaemin and Renjun are downstairs if you want to go and help’  
Jeno felt the world around him begin to spin, He was the last person to see Hyuck, if Jeno had stopped him from storming off he would know Hyuck was safe. Jeno jumped out the bed and rushed down stairs  
“Jeno” Jaemin said walking to Jneo who was still dazed from sleep  
“Have you guys heard anything at all?” Jeno said, looking between Renjun and Jaemin.  
“No, he won’t answer his calls or texts, he hasn’t been to any stores or anything, its like he ran away”  
Jeno’s mind began to race to that night's events, that conversation they had rung in Jeno's mind taunting him over and over, he should have said something, he should have stopped him.  
“Lets uh- let's go search” 

The boys searched everywhere, all their hang out spots, they searched every store that was still open, they searched up and down for hours and hours, and still there were no sight of Donghyuck. They searched until the sun rose and they called a pause in the search.  
“I can’t, not yet” Jeno said on the verge of a breakdown  
.”Jen, we have been searching for hours, you have to be exhausted” Jaemin said lightly touching Jeno’s arm  
“Come on Jeno, we can rest and then look again” Renjun said, nodding at Jaemin.  
“No,im finding him today, you guys can go home, but I have to find him, I have to know he’s okay, I have to tell him how much I love him, I have to say all the things I didn’t say last night” Jeno’s tone was harsh, Jaemin pulled his arm back quickly.  
“Wait, Jeno you saw him last night?” renjun asked  
“Yeah, we had been together all day, we kinda has an argument and he stormed off and i didn’t go after him, i just got on my bike and went home”  
Jaemin eyes light up, “jeno where did you last see him”  
“The lakefront with all the flowers” Jeno said with a small smile, “He said it was our new place to be together, we said we would take the whole group there soon”  
Jeno stopped and stood up, and before Jaemin or renjun could say another word, Jeno was running with all he had. 

When he finally reached the riverfront he started yelling  
“DONGHYUCK”  
No response.  
“HYUCK”  
Birds chirping.  
“DONGHYUCK PLEASE”  
The sound of the water  
“HYUCK”  
Jeno felt his tears starting to fall, he started crying to the point where his breathing was ragged, his thoughts were jumbled, and he was starting to get dizzy  
“DONGHYUCK”  
Still no response, Jeno feel to his knees and sobbed, he could hear the sound of the water  
“Donghyuck please, i'm so sorry, donghyuck please be okay, hyuck I love you so much, i'm sorry I didn’t stop you and tell you”  
Jeno forced himself to his feet, shaking, he felt like he would pass out. Jeno walked to the water and stopped when his eyes traveled to the pair of shoes, and the phone that was carefully placed next to them. Jeno walked to the phone and picked it up, the lock screen was a picture of him and donghyuck, Jeno’s heart sank.  
“HYUCK”  
Jeno started screaming fantacly, he kicked off his shoes and ran into the water without any thought, scared for what he would find.  
“DONGHYUCK”  
Jeno’s eyes looked up and saw him.  
Jeno kicked over to the boy floating on top of the water, he reached hyuck and pulled with everything avoiding the pounding in his ears and the rapid beating of his heart.  
Last night played over and over again, he should have stopped him, he should have followed him, he should have done something.  
“Hyuck, please be okay, i have you and I will never leave you gain, please be okay , I love you”  
“Damnit jeno, why didnt you fucking do something”  
When they reached the shore, Jaemin and Renjun were already standing there, when they saw Jeno holding a lifeless hyuck Renjun fell to his knees in disbelief and Jaemin stood staring.  
Jeno sat in the sand holding onto Hyuck rocking him back and forth, kissing his forehead repeatedly.  
“Hyuckie please, I love you so much, hyuck i love you so much”’ Jeno’s cried made Renjun cry, Jaemin had ran to get help  
Renjun didn’t say a word, Jeno sobbed he sobbed and sobbed and repeated the same things over and over again  
“Hyuck, i’m so sorry, I love you so much, I have always loved you, I will remember you, i'll tell your stories and keep your name alive, hyuck please make it, be okay, hyuck please i love you so much, I love you like you like sunflowers and the sun, I love you like you love movie and hyuck please” Jeno’s sobs turned silent as he rested his head on donghyuck’s forehead, he was still warm, maybe it was just from the warm sun.  
Then like a wave hitting the rocks, the entire search party bursted through the tall flowery grass, Jeno heard Donghyuck’s mother scream and then hysteria, so much commotion behind him, but Jeno didn’t dare look up he refused to let go of hyuck. The paramedics rushed to scene and then that's when he looked up, he say donghyuck’ smother on the ground releasing emotions Jeno didn’t know a human could have, he say Jaemin and Renjun holding each other staring at jeno and donghyuck, he say his own mom with her hand over her mouth unable to do or say anything. Everything was slow, the paramedics rushed to him in what felt like slow motion.  
“Sir, please stand back” the paramedic said  
“NO” jeno screamed  
“Sir please”  
“No, I can’t let him go again” Jeno screamed  
“Jeno felt a hand on his arms, he looked behind and saw Mark “Jeno let him go”  
Jeno looked back down at Donghyuck and kissed his forehead before laying him down in the warm sand, he rocked back, unable to stand  
.The paramedics rushed in on donghyuck, checking for vitals and breathing, checked for injuries. Jeno watched unable to control his crying.  
“He has a pulse” the paramedic announced to the other paramedics, they called for more assistance. 

Everything went by so fast, Jeno was exhausted from crying, and not sleeping, he was losing control of all his emotions, Jeno hadn’t stood up, but watched as they loaded Hyuck onto a stretcher with urgency, the sand made the wheels hard to move so they carried him, as they lifted Hyuck and started racing to the waiting ambulance, Jeno stood up and raced after them at full speed  
“Hyuck I love you, please stay with me, he ran all the way back to the landing where he last saw him, last night and that's when they stopped him  
“Sir, I need you to step back”  
“No please i need to be with him”  
Jeno fought against the police that were guarding the scene, he saw random people staring trying to see what was going on, they loaded Hyuck into the ambulance and rushed away leaving Jeno there in the open sobbing and dripping wet, he wanted to run after the ambulance but then he felt Jaemin touch his shoulder.  
Jneo turned as Jaemin brought him into a hug,  
“Jaem, I love him”  
“I know”  
“Will he be okay”  
“I hope so”  
Renjun joined into their hug and they all sobbed. They sobbed and sobbed and sobbed until they had no more tears left in their bodies. When they split, everything hit Jeno at once and he felt his head spin and his vision get blurred, then he felt himself drop. 

~

Jeno woke up to bright hospital lights. He looked around and saw he was connected to an IV and there was beeping sounds around him, panic set in almost immediately  
Jaemin stood up from his chair and walked over to him putting a hand to his head to calm him  
“Jeno calm down, easy”  
“What happened”  
“The exhaustion set in, you also hit you head really hard on the concrete when you fell, you have a slight concussion and a few scrapes but you are okay, they gave you some sleeping meds and pain reliever from the headache you are guaranteed to have”  
“where is my mom?”  
“She is with renjun, they’ll be back”  
Jeno layed back down and them remembered  
“Donghyuck”  
Jaemin smiled at jeno  
“You love him don’t you”  
“Yes” tears began to well again in jeno’s eyes  
“I could always tell, you two alwasy had a weird spark between you two”  
“Jaemin please is he okay”  
“Yes, he lived; he's okay. When he- when he jumped he hit his head, it was hard enough to knock him unconscious, when he it the water he was of course out and he inhaled water, he had a lot of water in his lungs, but he’s going to okay”  
Jeno closed his eyes thanking the heavens.  
Almost on cue Jeno’s mom and renjun walked in, jeno’s mother ran to Jeno’s bedside sobbing and kissing him, “mom im so sorry” jeno sobbed  
“Honey, i could never be mad at you, you didn’t do anything to cause it”  
“Mom yes i did, we fought before and mom i didn’t stop him, i just went back home, he would be sleeping next to me mom we would be planning our next adventure”  
“Jeno baby he’s okay, he’s awake and you’ll be able to see him soon, meanwhile they are keeping you overnight for health reasons, you can see him tomorrow”  
Renjun walked over to jeno’s other side and gave him a smile  
“Jeno, you saved our best friend..and your...boyfriend?”  
jeno ‘s mother looked between the two boys, jeno looked at his mom with horror in his eyes.  
“Jeno literally everyone in this town knew you two were in love it took you way two long to come to that realization”  
Jeno laughed, maybe they should have known. 

~  
The next morning jeno woke up to the nurse taking vitals and give him breakfast  
“Oh, after your scan today, you have a special visitor” the nurse said smiling  
“Uh, okay thank you”  
Jeno had started to eat when mark bursted into the door  
“Dude, you scared the literal shit out of me”  
“How? I wasn’t lying in the same not breathing”  
“The way you dropped that was terrifying”  
Jeno just laughed, mark stayed with jeno until he went for his testing  
“They have to make sure i have no further brain swelling”  
“It’ll be worth it at the end”  
“Huh”  
Mark just smiled as the nurse wheeled Jeno out the room, as they passed rooms, Jeno looked at the name markers to see if he could find hyuck anywhere. 

Jeno finished all his tests and was was on his way back to his room, when the nurse took a different turn  
“Do we have another examination?”  
The nurse smiled “No”  
She wheezled him into another room and told him to go past the curtain, she closed the door behind her, jeno rolled his wheelchair further into the room  
“Hyuck?!”  
Donghyuck looked up at jeno and flashed that smile  
“Well lord it took you long enough”  
Jeno tried standing up but his legs gave under him  
“The doctor said your body is exhausted and would prefer you stayed seated” hyuck said watching Jeno struggle  
“Hyuck i love you so much, i am so sorry i let you walk away last night i should have stopped you. Hyuck i will remeber you, I will love you adn carry on your name and your stories, I will never leave you again, me i will be the person that never lets anyoen forget you, fuck everyone else, let me love you and rember you and everything we have ever done”  
“Wheel yourself over here” hyuck said as a tear fell down, jeno wheeled himself over to hyucks bed side and lifted himself enough to kiss hyuck, a kiss that will forever be engraved in jeno, it was a kiss of familiarity, and love, and forgiveness”  
“Jeno, i am so sorry”  
“No, we aren’t doing that, promise me to never leave me”  
Hyuck smiled at jeno “I promise”  
They locked hands  
“So not bring up a semi traumatizing event for the both of us but how did you know”  
“I didn’t the adrenaline was in full swing and when i had you i didnt wanna let go”  
“Then you fell”  
“I remember hugging jaemin and then boom i was in the hospital”  
Hyuck laughed “You are a loser”  
The two stayed there for hours until a nurse came in to take hyuck vitals and change his bandages.  
“For someone who jumped from a landing of rocks you are still pretty cute”  
“Lee jeno i will hurt you”  
The doctor looked at jeno and smiled  
“Kid, you must love this kid” he said pointing at hyuck  
“I do”  
“Well he will live, he will be home in the matter of a few days, and i'm sure you’ll by his side through everything”  
Jeno looked at hyuck  
“I will”  
Jeno’s nurse came in to take jeno to get ready to be discharged, he’s getting discharged in like two days, i'm sure you’ll be up here almost as much as his mom is”  
Jeno smiled at the nurse  
~  
The next few days was filled of jeno trying to get back to his normal energy, and worrying about hyuck, when his discharge day came he was up bright and early  
“Jeno please don’t rush yourself”  
“I'll be fine mom”  
“I love you be safe”  
Jeno rushed out the door jumping into the car, on the way to the hospital he stopped and grabbed a powdered donut and orange juice

He checked in and got his pass, when he got to his room, Hyuck was still sleeping. Jeno edmired Hyuck and this time he took in every last moment. Before walking over and planting a kiss on his forehead, hyuck woke up  
“Lee Jeno, it's 8am”  
“Lee Donghyuck, i have breakfast”  
“Powdered donut holes and orange juice”  
“Jezz, you are cute but it's early”  
“I know”  
Jeno sat the food next to hyuck and hyuck slid over so jeno could sit with him and they sat there and ate and talked and laughed, the watched the morning turn to afternoon and with that came dinghy nick's parents.  
“Jeno” Chuck's parents both rushed to him hugging him like they haven't seen him in years  
“Mom, dad let him go before you kill him” hyuck said saving jeno  
The doctors came in and took him off all his medications and gave him back hi clothes  
Jeno looked at the sweater  
“It still looks good on you” jeno said smiling  
Chucks parents the papers and then they were off  
“You should go home and rest” Jeno said wheeling donghyuck behind his parents  
‘Mom, if i pinky promise to be home before nightfall can i do very low grade activities with jeno”  
“Hyuck” jeno stammered  
Hyuck parents looked between the two  
“Fine, be safe and nothing too much, when you feel tired you come home Donghyuck”  
“Yes mom”  
Jeno rolled hyuck to his car, and help him in  
“Go to Max’s” hicks said  
Jeno looked at hyuck, he looked slightly paler than normal, his eyes looked like he hadn’t slept in years, but his mood was still normal and high, he still gave jeno are hard time and laughed and joked, he held jeno’s hand like he would never touch him again, donghyuck was till donghyuck.  
When they arrived jeno looked at hyuck  
“Do you want to go in?”  
“Yes jeno i do”  
Jeno got the wheelchair out and help donghyuck  
“I hope they know I can walk, they just want me to take it easy like I didn't really do that much damage, I wasn't trying to hurt myself, and they know that but they act like I'm broken.”  
They walked into the restaurant and the lady looked at Jeno and Hyuck with a sad expression.  
“We all heard what happened”  
“I knew you two would come out together”  
They order a to go order instead of the normal and jeno drive them to their new spot  
“Hyuck why?”  
“Because something bad happened, yes, but it's a spot that has meaning to us now and we can’t let that stop us, we have to keep going, and that's what I'm starting now enom heal.”  
Jeno shook his head.  
“This is our coming of age movie, always a happy ending” Jeno said  
Hyuck laughed “yes, and damn i got a good ass movie”  
They watched the sun begin to set, before packing up to get hyuck home, as the rode home they listened to music with the windows down holding hands  
“This is where the credits start to roll” hyuck said over the music  
Jeno laughed and squeezed Hyuck's hand, this was the perfect ending.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it, I have a perfect playlist to go with this that I may add later! stay healthy lots of love xx


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